Listening to Jon Anderson: Olias Of Sunhillow (Vinyl) Side One
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
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Listening to Olias Of Sunhillow by Jon Anderson on vinyl for the first time
All rights and music: Jon Anderson, Atlantic Records
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I’m here for Jon Anderson. All day long.
Bought this album the day it arrived at the record store. After all these years, it remains one of my favorite albums!
Jon Anderson almost invented world music on this album. Albeit his own world. And it is one I could live in.
Few albums had as great an impact on my teenage self as this beautiful creation did all those years ago. The otherworldly instrumentation, arrangements and vocals set out a clear path from inner teen turmoil to a place of peace. It opened my heart and mind to the fact that Yes and Jon were not just musicians but guides that I could use to steer my craft through the tumults of my young life. I wore out this album when feeling sad, happy, indifferent and as the background to many novels read.
To this day decades later when I hear it I am reminded of the goodness in that gentle man and the important role he played and continues to play in my life.
Hey Jim! This is Jon's masterpiece. He is so proud of this album. You will enjoy i'm sure!👍
Totally agree. Pity that 'To The Runner' appears to be squeezed dynamically as it deserves a much better recording.
This is what the elves listen to in Rivendell. Beautiful.
This album exists on a plane completely by itself. I love it!
A very bold album, he played all instruments himself and really explored the cosmic side of his artistic vision here. Some tracks sound really odd., or even weird, even for me as a lifelong Yes fan ("Moon Ra"!) but it just shows he was doing this without a safety net.
Always loved Rick Wakeman's affectionate description of his friend as the only man trying to save the planet whilst living on a different one. It must be over 40 years since last heard this and I feel quite emotional hearing again.
Haha! That's brilliant!
:home from work and finally settling in to experience your immersion in to Olias:
:happy mellow sigh:
Enjoy!😇
Hi Jim me again, me and I think a lot of other Yes fans from this era feel the way we do about classic Yes for financial reasons. Let me explain, at a time when I and my contemporaries were earning under a tenner for a 47.5 hour week and an album cost around 2 quid you had to pick a a few bands to follow and support. My choices were Yes, Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield, Uriah Heep, Rush and Wishbone Ash. Of course I was aware of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen and all the other great bands from the late 60s to mid 70s and when I had the funds I went back and picked up all the albums from these bands as my finances allowed. Point is it was impossible to be across all the great music unless your dad was a millionaire, sorry to ramble on but I think this situation explains die hard fans from from this era. Loved the review, side 2 here we come.🙂👍
I was in school at the time and my Saturday job bought me an LP and some pocket money for the week. That's why so many people felt let down by Tales, I think.
@@BigMacIain Hi Ian, I started work in june 71 on £6.50 for a 47.5 hour week, i'd to pay dig money and buy work tools, then clothes, a pair of straight Levis cost 2 weeks wages so cash for ggigs and albums had to be saved up and really was an occasional treat. I musta been one of the few who though TFTO was a masterpiece, still have my release day vinyl in excellent nick and I treasure it.
A masterpiece
This album, lights out, headphones on... transformative! Beautiful music...
Top Ten Album!!!
It is very much a solo album. He played all the instruments. I had never seen him play anything but percussion instruments, so it was a surprise.
I have seen him play keys and harp in Yes concerts. But you are right for Olias Of Sunhillow Jon played every instrument in this album. He also was the producer for the album too. Such an amazing talent. He recorded in a mobile studio on his county property. So a home project!
I've seen him play guitar live for the Gates Of Delirium
i very much doubt this.
Vangelis probably played a lot on this record.
@@moontan91 Jon says that Vangelis didn't know anything about Olias until the album was released, but the way the keyboards sound are too "Vangelis sounding".
If there was ever a voice to represent Wizards and flying sail/fish ship it's Jon Anderson,this should be made into an animation with the album as a sound track. Surely the Tolkien brethren would love this album.
This LP is dear to my teenage era heart and still deeply deeply moving. It was everything I felt about Jon as a creative force in YES & showed all that he brought to the band. When released conceptual experience was a completely new transcending sonic experience filled with all the magic, hope and love in a way that only Jon can do!
Thanks for the reaction to one of my favorite albums ever! I'm so excited! Jon Anderson did a great job and a masterpiece! Greetings from Germany 👍🏼
Song of Seven is the second solo album by Yes lead singer Jon Anderson, released in 1980, and his first to utilize an actual band (the New Life Band). Well worth a listen Jim
I need to get hold of that.
Very nostalgic for me.
Good evening! For some reason, I never owned any of Jon Anderson’s solo albums. Yet whenever I hear his solo stuff, I love it. Time to get hold of some albums, methinks!
I only recently got this as a request/recommendation through the channel!
I was just re-enjoying to your reactions to The Yes Album and Close to the Edge, then this popped up! What a gem. Hints of classic Vangelis in this one, especially his Albedo 0.39 album. Cheers Jim!
Yep. Jon was highly influenced by Vangelis, which I believe is why he performed all the music by himself, just like Vangelis did. Wonderful stuff, for sure 🙂
No Vangelis here. Only Anderson.
@@rogerhennie8939 Obviously
woo-hoo!!!
I won't be able to watch until I get off work, but I'm super excited to see this.
Be back later to watch you (hopefully) enjoy!
Hope you enjoy! I'm so sorry as well..... I completely couldn't pronounce your name properly in there video.... you'll have to let me know exactly how to say it!!!! (Spoiler alert - I like it! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻)
@@JimNewstead
It's a username I use for role playing. The character is a deity of Light, so it's a take on illuminate.
ill-LOO-may.
She's also a half dragon, so the surname is from the dragon star.
el-TAN-in
But...
You can call me Pam. 😉
I'm honored to hear I'm mentioned in the video. Now I really can't wait to get home!
@@IllumeEltanin yay! I’m on fire!!!! I guessed it was an internet handle and that your real name is Pam. Get in, Jim!!! Whoop 🙌
@@IllumeEltanin Your character is a deity of Light? By chance did you mean 'Lightmane' 😛😀😎🙂
@@JimNewstead
💖
You know Vangelis was potentially the Yes keyboardist but declined. However he and Jon collaborated on a number of albums as Jon & Vangelis. They are good!
Glad you liked it
When I finally heard this album around 2008. I was hooked instantly. Great album.
Woah man! Nice!!!
Hi Jim, sorry I'm a bit late to this particular party. Olias of Sunhillow is a bit of a trip, and the biggest thing for me with this album was just the fact that Jon Anderson could put an entire album together all by himself that was really good without relying on the instrumental prowess of his bandmates. It turned out that he had the goods.
I don't really know how much other solo Jon Anderson you've had a chance to hear, but I'll suggest what I believe are his strongest two albums after Olias: Song of Seven and Animation. I have both on vinyl -- I know that Animation was never released properly on CD, which is a huge mystery because it is a stellar album. The title track is really astounding, and there are several other really noteworthy tracks (I really love the one called Unlearning). Also, the title track of Song of Seven is perhaps Jon's best solo song (it is certainly my favorite): pure cosmic Jon Anderson, which may even elicit a few tears of emotion. Check 'em out!
Such a good record, from music to art.
If you're doing Yes solo albums, I hope you can get your hands on Fish out of Water by Chris Squire. That's my favorite of the several Yes solo projects from that era. To me, it's essentially a "lost Yes album". It's the only example I know of with Squire doing all the lead vocals, and in my quirky opinion he's incredible at it. I think you'll like it.
Hi Patrick.... I've got a few (Fish Out Of Water and Beginnings) and a few of Rick Wakeman's albums too. Thank you so much for the coffee, really and truly appreciated. :)
Fish out of Water is the best solo album by Yes members, and maybe the best album for bass players, by a bass player.
So you have got to Olias Jim…….it’s just wonderful . Love the story of Olias. So good watching you experience it for the first time..thank you.
Just discovered your channel....and sub'd.....i'm trying to get into more prog and i'm using your channel as the GATEWAY !!
Perfect! Thanks for the sub, hope you find some fun stuff here!
Thanks Jim for covering this jewel of a solo theme album, it's brilliant and among my most repeat played Yes/Jon Anderson albums ever.
Looking forward to watching you react to this wonderful album 🙂
As regards to Jon's solo work, you ain't heard nothing yet, you have just touched the tip of the iceberg.
Great show Jim.
"Gorgeous" sums it up. I think Jon is the most interesting musician who has been in Yes.
This takes me back. I owned the vinyl back in the day, now have the cd. Needless to say i love it . Very percussive and I love the textures he creates . Uses his amazing clear voice to great effect
I have them both!
{:o:O:}
His next two albums are superb too!
wow wow, close up on your snake dragon incense holder thingy ! I love Jon Anderson so much, I've listened to this twice already. The sound coming from your audio amp is fabulous
Love this album, along with Fish Out of Water, and there is a special place in my heart for Patrick Moraz' Story of I album.
Can you imagine the production cost of that thing? It's super complicated to produce any 6-page book with a tip-in like that, then with a full printed sleeve inside. The illustration and printing costs, Jon went over on the studio time (although he saved money on outside musicians), and then the promotion from Atlantic. Those were the days. I owned three copies of Olias on vinyl at one time and all of them were scratch-fests.
Bought this the day it was released and was blown away as I bought all of Yes 'solo albums all ricks ,Steve's Jon's Chris and Alan's ramshaclked and all Patrick moraza albums as well ...I knew who he was from his group Refugee great band as well GOAT live band over 10 concerts from CTTE Tales through tormato, going for the one Relayer the best of the best and Jon's work with Vangellis and Issao Tomita all great works when I was on the road after performing when I got back to the hotels every night I fell asleep to TALES Relayer ,CTTE and Tull TAAB and Passion play and ELP BSS and Trilogy A great one by Patrick Moraza is his The story of I killer album I was lucky in this ERA real music buy musical geniuses and real players with real vision and they moved the music to the next level and beyond The facts are they were real and they all sounded literally as good as the records and cassette ..LIVE .. without fail everytime
Real Vangelis sounds in the beginning 😇.
I must say, I like this. Yes-light music, it sounds fresh.
The harp sounds nice but for real harp playing, listen to Andreas Vollenweider.
The second songs starts with Kitaro sounding synth; great soundtrack Silk Road documentaries. Then African rhythms.
Third song starts again with Kitaro sounding synth.
Yes, I want this album.
Never even knew this existed, then I looked it up saw that it was his first solo effort and that he's got a whole bunch, last one coming out in 2019. This has a much looser and lighter sound than Yes. I'm actually getting a Bjork kind of feel, very wood nymphish.
Absolutely my favorite album of all time, since I was a kid. Thanks for the reaction! It deserves the attention.
This is a dedicated listen even for this Yes man, Moorglade and For the runner being highlights.
Song of Seven and Animation are my favorites. Besides his stuff with Vangelis.
I'm with ya on those selections as well.
i played this recently, probably the first time in more than 30 years - i had forgotten how outstanding it is. i actually prefer it to any yes album(and i love the classic yes albums) there is something earthy about it - it is a beautiful album but unlike a lot of solo albums it does not sound as if anderson held the material back from yes just so he could put it on his solo album - the music has similarities to yes but it is also very different - love it
Hi there Jim. Listened to Orb last night; yep elements of The Sky Moves Sideways (and Voyage 34?) seem taken from UFO!
Next up Olias Of Sunhillow - I've got this one! However not a fav listen as I find Jon's piping becomes samey - and there is not the juxtaposition of the rest of the band to distract and otherwise entertain. Will listen tonight tho...
I think you need to listen to Vangelis' _Heaven And Hell,_ Jim. Jon Anderson appears on "Heaven And Hell, Part 1, 'So Long Ago, So Clear'". A beautiful little collaboration that would one day bear fruit in the partnership of Jon & Vangelis. But _Heaven And Hell_ is just a masterpiece by Vangelis. His first true solo album, recorded at his newly built Nemo Studios, in London in 1975. I would highly recommend that one. And Jon looked on Vangelis as his musical mentor, and was very much influenced by him when recording this album.
Opposite to popular belief Vagelis did not play on this album, he has denied it many times. It was all Jon.
Funny ... Just yesterday, I listened to them all ... Anderson- Olias of Sunhillow, Howe- Beginnings, Squire- Fish Out of Water, Moraz- i, and White- Ramshackled
ALL great albums 👍
@@rcpsammy7186 Olias, Fish, and Beginnings are always near the front of my record bins ... so, I'm always so happy to hear again, how fantastic Moraz's record was, and Alan's too, really jazzing all over the place ... I made it a point to play all 5 yesterday, don't know why
... and then Manzanera- 'Diamond Head' :D
Hey Jim, i rate this as the most amazing solo album of all time!
For me, most amazing album, period.
A superb album, second only to Chris Squire Fish out of water album , as a Yes solo album, its made for an ice dancing show this album, very dramatic and atmospheric
Anniversary of it’s release yesterday 24 July 76
Olias is an experience - meant to be taken as a whole... it puts you into such a tranquil place by the end. It is very unique and special in that regard. There's a magic quality that Jon has - his other solo tracks that touch that potential are Song Of Seven and Animation.
Jon's and Chris' solo albums are the best of the solo albums from the then band during that break. Jon's is unique and a themed album. Chris Squire's is great also "Fish Out of Water", check that out as well!
I love Fish Out Of Water.
Patrick Moraz" "I" is very interesting.
it's not a solo album, Vangelis was also heavily involved with this in some ways or others.
he's not credited and history has no official record of this, it's probably because of contractual, labels, or monetary considerations.
but that is Vangelis, no doubt about it. It's Vangelis 'trademark' keyboard sounds. There's no way around that.
???
@@paulbrookes413 Jon and Vangelis had collaborated a year prior to Olias, on Vangelis' album "Heaven and Hell", an excellent album btw.
If you listen to Vangelis albums of the same time period you'll notice the same keyboard sounds.
Vangelis was even rumored to be a potential candidate to play with Yes at the times.
@@moontan91
Vangelis Sounds - true, but composed,
performed and produced by Jon!
Mr Anderson is a GENIUS!
@@paulbrookes413 if he did all this by himself, then he truly is.
but none of his other solo albums came close to this one, did they?
we might never have the answer for sure, but still, this is a damn good album !
@@moontan91
I'm glad we agree on that!!!
I'm mellowing out this evening by listening to Olias along with you, Jim. I had a thought while doing so.
I've been in conversation with Scot over on The Prog Corner regarding some "obscure" prog groups, based on my recommendation of Fall In Love With The World by United Progressive Fraternity on his request for obscure prog albums. Our conversation led to him recommending Unitopia and Southern Empire (which I have since suggested a track from to you for Astounding Sounds Amazing Music) to me.
While watching this again, I realized you mentioned several groups I truly don't know, i.e., Animal Collective, another band I'm unable to catch the name of (Sigur Ros?), and Ozric Tentacles. Are you willing to give me some first listen recommendations for those groups?
Hmmmm, remind me again in a few days when I get a moment or two to reply properly!!!!
@@JimNewstead
Reminder #1, although if the timing isn't good, I can do another reminder towards the end of the week.
You are right about Animal Collective. Merriweather Post Pavilion - the vocal harmonies, and layering. Two peas in a pod.
I suppose, the common denominator is the Beach Boys :)
Tell the moondog and the March hare, there's lots of whimsy in this. One music journalist at the time titled his review "what were once vices are now hobbits".
Jon has release many other solo album. My favorite besides this is Deseo, in which he recorded with many Latin American stars. Song lyrics in Spanish, English and I think one in Portuguese Totally unYes like, but I love it.
This is an absolutely astonishing album from beginning to end. But I think _"Fight of the Moorglade"_ is my favourite.
{:o:O:}
If you're going to survey the albums of Yes alumni.... the ONLY Yes solo album comparable in stature/accomplishment to Anderson's "Olias of Sunhillow" is Bill Bruford's "Feels Good To Me" - nothing by Squire, Howe, White, Rabin, Wakeman, Moraz, etc. is remotely comparable to these 2 superb albums. (The 2nd and 3rd Bruford albums are not solo efforts but band projects, as he then named his band Bruford.)
Sorry, Jim, I've stepped away from reactions for a while, getting caught up on your Yes and related material. I have listened to this album at least 6 times a year since I got my first copy in 1982. Magical. Jon loses me after Promise Ring, but up til then, wonderful stuff.
Don't apologise - I upload way too much stuff!!!!
This is a really good solo album. And when you say it was really solo. Jon wrote and produced the music and played all instruments. He is such an amazing music talent. You should follow up on Rick Wakeman's solo albums too. Six Wives of Henry the VIII and Criminal Record especially the last track.
Oh HELL yes! I just now stumbled on this. One of my ALL-TIME favorite albums, ever!...
A true masterpiece in vision, ideas, performance and execution.
I'll start watching now. I hope you enjoyed the album...
I'll find out now.
Spoiler..... I did!
An essential part of what YES created in the 1970's must always include this great album .
Nice sweater BTW.
Thanks!
I'm already looking forward to side 2. Unfortunately Anderson didn't follow up on this album with another one of this kind. From his second solo album "Song Of Seven" only the title track is recommendable. The third (Animation) is then "completely different". At that point I'll stop ;-) But there are still some very nice songs by Jon and Vangelis (e.g. "Horizon")
It's coming ... about Olias's son, "Zamran"
When Anderson released Olias in 1976, the story and incredible artwork was as intense a multimedia experience as he was able to produce at the time, since it was a solo work. As far as I know, at the time Anderson had no experience in film making, which would have taken it a step further.
Anderson has been working on Zamran for at least 30 years. But, he has a grand multimedia vision for it which I think keeps getting reset as new technology becomes available. I'm of the belief the music is ready. I only hope he achieves his vision, rather than his eager fans having to experience it piece meal posthumously.
@@bokiphoto Thanks for the hint. I did not know that.
@@IllumeEltanin I didn't know about "Zamran" at all. Thanks for the hint.
i, by Patrick Moraz, is pretty crazy. Lots of Latin rhythms. Fish Out Of Water, by Chris Squire, is many people's favorite. Steve Howe is Steve Howe and Alan White's Unshackled is probably the most "hippy" sounding. All good.
Yes, all good albums... and the Alan White album was called Ramshackled.
Who did the cover of it? I can imagine Roger Dean
No, sadly just a photo montage. Bit really!
Are you asking about the artwork for Olias of Sunhillow? If so, the artist's name is David Fairbrother-Roe. Dean was supposedly "too busy," although I personally think other considerations were at play.
Would go well when in an altered state of mind. Very in the moment of 1976.
Between the Trilogy reaction and this one, I want to hang out with you in a smoky room full of prog.
Excellent album. In a world of its own. Nothing like it. However, contrary to the accepted wisdom, though I have no proof of this, I will always question whether Jon played all the keyboards himself since there are many aspects of Vangelis' playing and choice of harmonisation in the keyboards. A lot of what you may call Vangelis "call signs".
Have you listened to "Fish out of Water"?
Yup…. It’s on the channel
@@JimNewstead wonderful, I looked but didn't see it, that's why asked..Thanks I'll look again...
Listening to Chris Squire: Fish Out Of Water, Part 1
ruclips.net/video/65BMcqrjbc4/видео.html
sounds a lot like Vangelis. Jon denies he was involved, but the sound....
BTW - Need More Osric, Jim!
Recommend a track you want to hear 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
@@JimNewstead ...opening track from Spirals in Hyperspace? Have you done that one? Spirals would be a great album playthrough!
you can read the wikipedia page for this album, very interesting. Maybe you read it already ? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olias_of_Sunhillow